Earlier this week, after all candidates completed their filing for Kentucky’s gubernatorial race, The Louisville Courier-Journal signaled dim prospects for Democrats in the Commonwealth, reporting that they face an “uphill battle” and that they “will have the heaviest lift” to win in November as Republican Governor Matt Bevin maintains the edge.

The Courier-Journal continued, writing that Kentucky Democrats “face extinction” as they struggle to compete in what has become an increasingly red state. Kyle Kondik from The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics agreed, claiming “it would be pretty reasonable to worry for Kentucky Democrats that not only would they fail to unseat Bevin but also they might not win any of the statewide races.”

As they stake their campaigns on failed tax-and-spend ideas that have been rejected by Kentucky voters, Democrat gubernatorial candidates face a difficult path to victory.